Firstly, I sampled an antioxidant-rich brewed coffee – nothing expensive, it comes in a sachet – but being rich in B vitamins and pantothenic acid, it’s helps to know that it’s doing you some good.
And what about the ageing consumer, particularly the increasing number of the Western population aged over 80?
“We know they tend to want to eat less and yet still need to boost their energy levels,” said marketing manager Patrick Morris. “Foods made with functional ingredients can do just that. For this demographic, chocolate can hold a lot of the answers.”
This age group frequently loses the ability to taste sweetness and so needs a sweeter product, and they need the calories for energy. An increasingly popular pre-mix ingredient is for cognitive function. He then presented me with a biscotti containing choline and DHA- omega-3, formulated to improve cognitive function and mental focus.
I also tasted a chocolate bar developed specifically for relaxation. Containing L-Tryptophan, magnesium, GABA and L-Theanine (as found in green tea) it tasted unexpectedly fine with what they describe as a ‘semi-sweet’ profile and offering ‘relaxed alertness’ and a ‘calming high’ – just what I need to see me through.
Patrick was keen for me to ask the question, ‘Is natural actually more sustainable than synthetic?’. I’d be delighted to hear your responses. We also talked about functional products moving into the mainstream. No longer just seen in chic LA health food stores, we can now buy beta-glucan-rich oat drinks in Whole Foods and Publix and Trader Joe’s.
It’s good to see that on a global basis, we are embracing health foods and making them part of our daily food intake.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024